Hi sometimes they identify them with collars of differant colours crystalgirl

I don't know if there are any health tests that this particular breed need to have when puppies, but if there are then they will have to be some sort of identifying system, Lona's litter was the only one I have had where there have been so many so alike, before that it was doable, so depends how many are in the litter for a start and what differences there are.

I use nail varnish and just made sure to keep an eye out for any fading marks. They were guide dog puppies though so I didn't have to match them to owner. I just hjd to keep an eye on who was who and make sure the record were up to date.

Ndidi

A friend of mine breeds cockers and once had an all black litter and when they were very young they used some sort of paint? might have been nail varnish or that spray they put on livestock, I'm not sure. When they were a bit older they got collars.

Robbie (my greyhound)s litter weren't solidly black, and all had slightly different white markings, but to make it easier to tell apart they got different collars.

I sort of get the impression it's not as much to do with whether the breeder CAN tell them apart or what method they use, but maybe whether there is a chance that a less than 100% honourable breeder will let 'yours' go to someone else who is dead set on that one before you pick yours up - just in case they get left with any.

When I got my Cavvy, I was told 'all the boys are gone' and she only bought the girl out. I did ask to see the boys just because I wanted to see the rest of the litter.

My 'girl' was considerably smaller than her siblings but because she was so spirited (flattening them and biting their ears and leaping all over me!) I wasn't bothered by that.

And I wanted to see the mum too - she did bring her in for me and the mum was on the small side too. When I met the 'dad' some years later I could see where the boys got their size from - he was a big 'un!

Hi things dont change much,just recently people were in uproar about horse meat.Many Many years ago people would sell you a Pig in a Poke or been sold a pup,it was a confidence trick as meat was scarce,and people sold you a pup or cat,so buyer be beware,its good now we can have a choice but also sometimes the owner of the stud has first choice.Hope you have many happy years with your puppy crystalgirl

Most of my breeder friends work on the basis the pups are theirs till the new owners have paid their money an left the building.....in other words the don't guarantee you can have a/ that pup till they say so.

I have a friend who sent a prospective owner away the day he came to pick up his puppy.

A few things jump out to me from the OP first post, I don't know how a breeder can let you pick your pup at a couple of weeks old,( other than the sex), firstly why are they allowing people into their home when the pups are only few weeks old, secondly, they will not know how temperaments are developing enough to place pup with the right owner, you are looking at a litter that all look the same, no distinguishing marks, so you won't be choosing on colour, do you want the lively one, the quiet one, the mouthy bolshy one , the one that leads head first into everything, all the things that make successful pairing of owner and dog.

Breeders with pups that look the same will mark them individually to tell them apart, but as they grow they will be able to tell them apart from development .

Sorry to be off topic, but can I ask why your friend sent the potential owner away?
I'm scared I'll get rejected for any future pups now!

Well yes I take your point Jackbox. And the only time I got a puppy from a breeder I didn't 'know' was the Cavvy and she had advertised the litter in the Xchange & Mart in the section for it but had put the date when they would be available for 'viewing' and that wasn't until they were 'old enough to go' actually (tho this is some 15yrs or so ago).

I'd phoned and said I wanted one (only the girl left by then but I wanted a girl) but no money passed until I saw her and bought her. I suppose it's different when you let people see them very early on and they 'choose' one.

But I've read of people 'putting deposits' down on a pup too?

I agree 2wks is far too young to be having strangers all round the puppies (or the mum) I'd missed that bit about the age.

Just thinking if all the dogs look the same i.e. all pure black it would be difficult to tell them apart but then surely it would also be difficult for the prospective owner to choose one to start with and to know whether it was the same one when they bought it (and I'm not sure that really matters if they do all look the same and the breeder is a good one i.e. the dog would not be sickly)

Thanks for the post, I think you have some valid points. I may have completely misunderstood my breeder regarding at what point in time we will be able to pick out our puppy. I was thinking the same thing as you, that very young puppies a couple weeks old will look very similar and not display their temperament yet... so in fact I'd prefer to pick one out closer to the time of adoption. And maybe that is the breeder's plan. I guess I need to get more information next time I speak to them.

Many thanks for the reply.